Electrically-operative sterilizer



Oct. 14, 1930. n. w. HERBERT ELECTRICALLY OPEHATIVE STERILIZER FiledJan. 2, 1930 flW/a Marin/172mm a,

Patented Oct, 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I DAVID WILLIAMHERBERT, OF BROOKLINE, .I-IElNNSYL-VANIA ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMROY HOOVEN, 0F BROOKLINE, PENNSYLVANIA I EILIElGEI.RIGALLYOIPERA'IIVESTERILIZER Application filed January 2, 1930. Serial Ira/417,941.

- My invention is designed for installation upon the wall of a bathroomto temporarlly receive and sterilize toothbrushes. However,

the embodiment of my invention hereinafter described is adapted forsterilizing any article which will fit within its casing, for instance,dental and surgical instruments, and may be portable.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction andarrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings, Fig. I is a front eleva tion of a convenientembodiment of my invention.

Fig. II is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line II,II, in Fig. I.

In said figures; the casing 1 is conveniently formed of pressedsheetmetal and divided into compartments 2 and 3 by a foraminouspartition 5, conveniently formed of wire screening of, say one-quarterinch mesh. Said casing has the hinged door 6 for said compartment 2, andwhich may be adapted to open downwardly, as indicated, or be otherwiseconnected with said casing and provided with any suitable temporaryfastening means for holding it shut when desired. Said compartment 2 isconveniently provided with racks 7 which may be formed of pressed sheetmetal, soldered at their opposite ends to the walls of said casing orotherwise secured therein. Sail racks 7 are adapted to supporttoothbrushes 10 or other articles to be sterilized.

.The sterilization above contemplated is connveniently effected byinclosing the articles to be sterilized insaid chamber 2 and heating theatmosphere therein to a temperaably predetermined and varied, ashereinafter described.

Said circuit includes the conductors 12 and 13, extending exterior tosaid casing l, and which may be permanently connected to a house circuitif said casing is mounted as a fixture upon a wall, or, said conductorsmay terminate in an ordinary screw plug adapted for detachableengagement with any base receptacle or other similar fitting, if saidcasing is portable. I

The electrical apparatus in said casing is conveniently mounted uponabase 15 formed of porcelain, bakeli-te or other suitable insulatingmaterial which may be detachably rigidly secured in said compartment 3by screws 16. Said conductor 12 extends to the metal bearing 18 of thepush switch plunger 19 having at its outer end the push button 20, ofinsulating material, by which it may be manually operated, by thrustingit inwardly againstthe pressure of the spring 21 which normally stressesit to the position shown. Said bearing 18 is rigidly connected with saidinsulating base 15 by the screws 22. Said conductor 13 is connected, bythe binding post 23, with the bimetallic strip 26, one end of which itholds upon the lug 27 of said base 15, so that the opposite end of saidstrip is free to vibrate. Said strip carries the heating coil 28 whichis connected at one end to said binding post 23 and at the other end tothe stationary spring terminal 29 of said push switch, the latterconnection including the flexible conductor 30, the binding post 31, andconductor 32; said binding post 31 being mounted in the lug 33 of saidbase 15. Said terminal 29 is detachably rigidly connected with said base15 by the screw 34, the end 35 of said terminal being bent downwardlyinto a recess 36 of said base 15, to prevent it from being accidentallydisplaced. Said supply conductor 13 is also connected, from said ofmolded ceramic and detachably mounted between the lugs 42 and 43 on saidbase 15.

The opposite end of said coil 37 is connected tosaid stationary terminal29.

Said binding post 31 is also connected with one end of the electromagnetcoil 45, the opposite end of which is connected to the axiallyadjustable switch terminal screw 46 which is mounted in said lug 33 andsecured in adjusted position therein by the nuts 47 so as to afford moreor less gap 48 between the end of by adjustment of the terminal screw46.

Said electromagnet coil 45 is conveniently supported by its core 49,which is engaged by the screw 50 extending through the lug 51 on saidbase 15.

Said electromagnet core 49 is in registry with the armature 52 which hasthe stem 54 mounted to reciprocate in said metallic hearing 18 andencircled by the spring 55 which bears against the cross pin 56 in saidstem and tends to thrust the latter into engagement with the shoulder 57on the plunger 19, so as to hold the latter in its inwardly pushed"position in which said plunger 19 contacts v with said terminal 29, toclose the circuit through both the heating coils'28 and 37. When thusenergized, both of said coils 28 and 37, of course, tends to heat theatmosphere within the casing 1. However, the coil 28 being directlyapplied to the metallic strip 26, the latter is thus subjectedto ahigher temperature than that of the surrounding amosphere in saidcasing, and with the effect of closing the circuit through said magnetcoil 45 in less time than if said coil 28 were not in immediate contactwith said metallic strip 26. When said contact between the bimetallicstrip 26 and the terminal screw 46 is effected; said magnet coil 45 isenergized to attract the armature 52 and shift it toward the core 49,thus retracting the armature stem 54 from engagement with the shoulder57 on the plunger 19; thus permitting the spring 21 to thrust said pushswitch plunger 19 outwardly and break the circuit between said plungerand-the spring terminal 29; thus deenergizing both of said coils 28 and37 and thus stopping the heating operation at the expiration of apredetermined time from the instant when the button 20 was pushed toclose the heating circuit. As above indicated, two minutes is adequatetime in which to sterilize toothbrushes, for with an ordinary 110 volt,60 cycle A. C. supply of electrical energy, the atmosphere within thecasing 1 is raised to 200 F., in that time. Of course, both the time andtemperature of the sterilizing operation may be varied, as aboveindicated.

Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself I to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from theessential features of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dwelling fixture including a steri lizer casing attached to a walland adapted to removably inclose a tooth brush; and a a springcontinually tending to open said switch; means arranged to detain saidswitch in closed position and to automatically release it and stop thesterilizing operation after a predetermined interval, including anarmature in cooperative relation with said switch, an electromagnet'. incooperative relation with said armature, and a thermostatic switchcontrolling the circuit thru said electromagnet; whereby, when saidswitch is manually closed to initiate the heating operation, saidthermostatic switch is heated and ultimately closes the circuit thrusaid electromagnet and thereby operates said armature to release saidmanually operative switch and permit it to be opened by its spring tobreak all of the circuits and terminate the sterilizing operation.

means, in said casing, adjustable to vary the time required to effectthe operation of said thermostatic switch and thus control the time ofcontinuance of the sterilizing operation.

3. In a sterilizer the combination with a casing; of means adapted tosupport an article to .be sterilized in said casing; a movable closurefor said casing; electrically operative heating means in said casing,including a main heating coil, 'a manually operative switch, and supplyconductors including said coil in circuit with said switch; a springcontinually tending to open said switch and break said circuit; meansadapted to restrain said spring and detain said switch in closedposition, including an armature; means arranged to release said switchand spring, by movement of said armature, including an electromagnet, athermostatically operative switch, and conductors adapted to includesaid magnet coil and latter switch in a shunt circuit around saidheating coil; whereby, when said manually operative switch is closed, itis-temporarily, automati- '105 2. Apparatus as in claim 1,includingcally, held in closed position; said mainswitch, causing thelatter to alternately close the circuit through said electromagnet coil,and thereby release said manually operative switch, and break all ofsaid circuits, thus terminating the heating operation.

4. In a sterilizer; the combination with a casing; of foraminous meansdividing said casing in two compartments; meansadapted to support anarticle to be sterilized in one of said compartments; a movable closurefor that compartment; a separate movable closure for the othercompartment; electrically operative heating means in the lattercompartment, including a main heating coil, a manually operative switch,supply conductors including said coil in circuit with said switch, andmeans connected with said switch and extending exterior to said casing,whereby said switch may be operated when said casing is closed; a springcontinually tending to open said switch and break said circuit; meansadapted to detain said switch in closed position, when manually closedagainst the stress of its spring, including an armature; means arrangedto release said switch by movement of said armature, including anelectromagnet in cooperative relation with said armature, athermostatically operative switch, including a flexible strip, anadjustable terminal adapted to cooperate with said strip, conductorsadapted to include said magnet coil and terminal in a shunt circuitaround said heating coil; an auxiliary heating coil carried by saidstrip, and electrical conducting means connecting said auxiliary coil inanother shunt circuit around said main heating coil; whereby, when saidmanually operative switch is closed, it is temporarily, automatically,held in closed position; said main heating coil and auxiliary heatingcoil are both energized from the same source of electrical energy, andheat the atmosphere in said casing, and heat said strip, causing thelatter to bend into contact. with said terminal, close the circuitthrough said electromagnet coil, release said manually operative switch,and,

break all of the circuits, thus terminating the heating operation; saidterminal being adjustable to predetermine the duration of each heatingoperation initiated by the closure of said manually operative switch.

5. In a sterilizer; the combination with a casing; of foraminous meansdividing said casing in two compartments; means adapted to support anarticle to be sterilized in one of said compartments; a hinged closurefor that compartment; a separately removable closure for the othercompartment; electrically operative heating means in the lattercompartment, including a main heating coil, a manually operative switch,supply conductors ineluding said coil in circuit with said switch, andpush means connected with said switch and extending exterior to saidcasing, whereby said switch may be operated when said casing is closed;a spring continually tending to open said switch and break said circuit;means adapted to detain said switch in closed position, when manuallyclosed against the stress of its spring, including a reciprocatory stemcarrying an armature; means arranged to release said switch, by movementof said armature and stem, including an electromagnet in cooperativerelation with said armature, a thermostatically operative switch,including a flexible bimetallic strip, an adjustable terminal adapted tocooperate with said strip, conductors adapted to include said magnetcoil and terminal in 'a shunt circuit around said heating coil, anauxiliary heating coil carried by said strip, and electrical conductingmeans connecting said auxiliary coil in another shunt circuit aroundsaid main heating coil; whereby, when said manually operative switch isclosed, it is temporararily, automatically, held in closed position;said main heating coil and auxiliary heating coil are both energizedfrom the same source of electrical energy and heat the atmosphere insaid casing, but heat, to a greater degree, said bimetallic strip,causing the latter to bend into contact with said terminal, close thecircuit through said electromagnet coil, release said manually operativeswitch, and break all of the circuits simultaneously, thus terminatingthe heating operation; said terminal being adjustable to predeterminethe duration of each heating operation initiated by the closure of saidmanually operative switch.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5; wherein all of the electrical elements aremounted upon an insulating base, separable from said casing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this seventeenth day of December,

DAVID' WILLIAM HERBERT.

